BK (before kids), and when I first started cooking, I favored mixed dishes. You know, items that include all the food groups in them. Just throw it all in the slow cooker and dinner’s ready.
That doesn’t mean AK (after kids) I don’t make mixed dishes, it’s just that I do it less often. But now that my kids are older, I’m making them more often. I’m also moving beyond my side strategy of serving mixed dishes with bread and fruit. Instead, I ask them how they want to eat it. This is especially true for chili.
I have two favorite chili dishes: turkey chili and white chicken chili. Little D prefers his wrapped up in a tortilla with added cheese, and Big A likes to use tortilla chips to eat chili (replace “chip” with “spoon”).
Now, do I wish they would just spoon up the chili? Yes! But you know, they are eating the chili — getting used to its flavors and textures — and that’s what counts. It’s the next step to eventually eating the chili straight from the bowl with a real utensil. And I’m all for that.
Many moons ago I posted a recipe for white chicken chili. Now I use this recipe from Budget Bytes: Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili. I love Beth’s recipes.
Do your kids eat mixed dishes? How do you handle it?
- yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, minced (optional — I used but removed the seeds)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound chicken
- 16 oz jar salsa verde
- 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 -ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional — I did not use)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- salt to taste
- shredded cheese of choice — I used Monterey Jack
- sliced avocado, cilantro, and other toppings
- Prepare the onion, jalapeno, and garlic and add to crockpot with chicken.
- Drain and rinse the beans and add to crockpot along with the spices. Gently stir to combine.
- Pour the salsa and broth over the chicken and beans and cook on high for 3-4 hours depending on your crockpot.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove from crockpot and shred with two forks. Return to crockpot, stir, and add salt to taste and serve with cheese and any toppings you prefer.
Want more easy meals and strategies for serving family meals? See Maryann’s book The Family Dinner Solution: How to Create a Rotation of Dinner Meals Your Family Will Love.
This looks delicious! It would also be easy to cook in my Instant Pot. Thanks!
Your welcome. I hope it turns out!
My 6yo currently refuses mixed dishes, sauces or “creamy stuff” which includes all melted cheese except that found on pizza, preferably without sauce. Ice cream is ok, of course ;-). She used to accept and eat the components of the mixed dish separately (eg plain pasta with sauce on the side) but now the sauces are out completely, so she often ends up with just a plain carb for dinner.
Any idea how I can reverse this trend, which seems to be moving in the wrong direction?
Does she eat many other foods? Protein items like chicken, fruits etc.?
I’d say she eats around 30-35 different foods consistently, but her repertoire seems to be getting smaller rather than bigger. She definitely goes on food jags, and wants ketchup and soy sauce on pretty much everything she eats, so it probably all tastes the same anyway.
The protein sources she accepts are unfortunately all more or less processed (turkey meatballs, dino nuggets, pepperoni, ham, hot dogs, and hamburgers). I used to make a lot of sauces that included ground meat, because that was the preferred way my older daughter would eat meat/protein, but of course it would violate the laws of the universe if both kids liked the same thing 😉
She does eat apples, pears and sometimes bananas and mandarins.
I’m not sure how familiar you are with my site and information but I have a variety of resources that can help including my picky eating series and a book entitled From Picky to Powerful. What can make a big difference is not just what your child is being fed or eats, but how they are being fed and feel about mealtimes. Often, pickier kids react negatively to pressure at meals. After reading more, let me know if you have any questions.
The series starts with this post https://www.maryannjacobsen.com/2013/07/what-to-do-when-picky-eating-doesnt-get-better/